Camino De Santiago

As you walk, you will, from time to time, be faced with small obstacles called rocks. Some are quite small and can actually ease the way, being easier on the feet than hard highway pavement. However, others may be large enough to cause a serious injury, sometimes we refer to them as Ankle Biters. Generally, most walkers will steer to avoid these obstacles. In my Scouting travels I learned a fun game from my hiking buddy and fellow Scout leader, Jim Meyer.

One may line up the offending rock on approach, adjusting stride so that the foot locates just left or right of the rock. There are several moves possible. With your right foot on the right side of the rock, As you pass over the rock, You could flip your foot to the left, pushing the rock off to the left side of the road. Alternatively, placing the right foot on the left side of the rock, flipping your boot toe to the right as you begin to lift your foot, the right foot clears the rock to the right side. These moves can be mirrored by the left foot if timing and stride are more optimal. You can also just go for a soccer kick in some forward direction. I have found achieving some competency here to be satisfying in several ways. Since you’re moving, It’s actually fairly complex and learning does involve entertaining failures. But also consider that by clearing an obstacle, you can leave the way clear for other travelers behind you. It’s a good deed that can be done several times a day.

It reminds me of this sentiment by J. R. R. Tolkien:

“It is not our part to master all the tides of the world, but to do what is in us for the succour of those years wherein we are set, uprooting the evil in the fields that we know, so that those who live after may have clean earth to till. What weather they shall have is not ours to rule."Lue lisää